Active Trails Grant Awarded

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park is one of 37 national parks selected to receive a 2014 Active Trails grant from the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America's national parks. Now in its sixth year, the Active Trails program supports healthy living by getting people out and active in national parks through projects that help restore, protect, and/or create land and water trails across the country. These projects include hands-on learning, hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing, volunteering, and more.

"Through the Active Trails program, people across the country are connecting with their national parks, discovering more ways to lead active and healthy lives, and giving back to the places they love," said Neil Mulholland, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation. "These grants are critical to helping with ongoing efforts to maintain and enhance the 17,000 miles of land and water trails across the National Park System."

New Map and Trail Guide

Palo Alto Battlefield will use the $22,500 grant for "Hike to History, Bike to Battlefields" a project to promote greater community awareness of and use of the Historic Battlefield Trail in Brownsville. The 10-mile long trail follows a road used by soldiers at the start of the U.S.-Mexican War in 1846 and links the Palo Alto Battlefield and Resaca de la Palma Battlefield units of the park. The route also connects these two battle site to numerous other cultural attractions in the city.

The park will use the $22,500 grant to print a map and guide of the trail and to develop way finding to help lead bikers and hikers to sites along the route. Working in conjunction with the City of Brownsville and the Mitte Cultural District, the park will also sponsor a "Trail Day" with events and activities to encourage greater use of the trail and active access to the park and its offerings.

Partnerships at Work

"Palo Alto Battlefield and the National Park Service are excited to continue our wonderful partnerships with the City of Brownsville and the Mitte Cultural District," said park Superintendent Mark Spier. "Promoting healthy activity on the hike and bike trail while connecting our citizens to their heritage and the outdoors is a winning formula for everyone involved."

Since 2008, the National Park Foundation has granted nearly $2.4 million through its Active Trails program. To date, Active Trails has engaged more than 5,900 volunteers and 327 project partners who combined have contributed more than 30,000 hours to help promote, refurbish or build national park trails that were ultimately enjoyed by 331,000 visitors.

"The National Park Foundation's Active Trails program provides vital funding that supports our national parks as centers of healthy outdoor activity for families and communities across the nation," said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. "The land and water trails maintained by the National Park Service invite visitors to explore natural and cultural beauty, and these grants will expand these great opportunities to even more visitors."

Olympic National Park Oregon National Historic Trail and California National Historic Trail

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park

River Raisin National Battlefield Park

Rock Creek Park Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway

Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Wheeling National Heritage Area

A listing of these parks and their Active Trails project descriptions can be found on the National Park Foundation website.

For more information on the National Park Foundation and how you can support and protect America's national parks, please visit the foundation website. For more information on the National Park Service, please visit the website.

About the National Park Service

More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 401 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more...

About the National Park Foundation

The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America's national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. Find out more and become a part of the national park community.

Did You Know?

On-going archeological and historical research continues to provide new details about the battle of Palo Alto and the Palo Alto Battlefield.